


Irreplaceable

by NamelessMoogle



Category: Persona 4
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Character Death, M/M, Missing Persons, New Game Plus, Spoilers, Starting Over, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2019-02-06
Packaged: 2019-03-28 13:32:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 6,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13905048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NamelessMoogle/pseuds/NamelessMoogle
Summary: Back in April, when Yu Narukami came to Inaba to stay with his uncle’s family for a year, he had no idea that he’d be fighting a goddess the day before he was heading back to the city. If someone had told him at that time that he would make friends in the town and have adventures with them inside a television, he wouldn’t have believed a word.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is [condemned-snek](https://condemned-snek.tumblr.com)'s brainchild. Thank you for coming up with the ideas and letting me work on the story.

“As I said… your desire is for a world enshrouded in fog!”

“That’s not true, Izanami!”

Back in April, when Yu Narukami came to Inaba to stay with his uncle’s family for a year, he had no idea that he’d be fighting a goddess the day before he was heading back to the city. If someone had told him at that time that he would make friends in the town and have adventures with them inside a television, he wouldn’t have believed a word. With everything the Investigation Team had shared throughout the year, Yu could no longer imagine a life without his friends. While Yu Narukami was only a boy, he was able to traverse the TV world and search for the truth, because he had the most wonderful friends by his side.

“We’ll keep searching for truth and figuring out who we are, as we go on with our lives.”

 _I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you, Yosuke._ Yu smiled at Yosuke, then turned his focus back on the vile goddess to initiate a battle for a world of truth.

*****

“At the end of the path you chose lies the truth… Believe in it, and continue without faltering.”

_Margaret, I didn’t choose the path by myself. I had help from a lot of people, especially…_

*****

Izanami-no-Okami resisted the attacks the Team was throwing at her. “The time has come for us to end this…” She writhed, but stood firm.

_What is she up to?_

“Goodbye… Accept the reality of your death…”

Yu shouted to his friends, “Everyone, brace yourselves!”

The goddess held a dark miasma in her hands and gazed at Yu, who had yet to adjust his stance. “Thousand Curses!”

“Not a chance!”

Someone pushed Yu off and took the hit aimed at the leader.

“Yosuke-senpai! Noooo!”

Darkness had engulfed Yu’s savior by the time the teen realized whose name Rise screamed.

*****

“Everything inside me changed after I met you.”

_Same here, Yosuke._

“I wouldn’t have made it this far if I hadn’t done it alongside you.”

_I couldn’t have started anything if not for you._

“You can’t let it end this way, right?”

_I can’t let it end without you._

“You can keep going… Right, Partner?”

_As long as I have you by my side…_

“I’m glad we met.”

_Don’t leave me. Please…_

*****

“Children of man… Well done!”

Izanami was no more. Seven high school students and one Shadow had defeated a goddess, and rid their worlds of the god.

“Alright! We did it!” _A delinquent._

“Thank goodness…” _An idol._

“It’s really over now.” _An heiress._

“Yep! This time it’s allll over!” _A tomboy._

“It seems this is more like a beginning for us, though.” _A detective._

“Yeah!” _A Shadow._

Only then did they realize they were one man short. No matter where they looked, there was no trace of the missing member of the Investigation Team, except for a pair of kunai scattered on the ground where Yosuke had been standing during the battle.

*****

Igor greeted Yu in the Velvet Room with a chuckle. “How marvelous. You have driven back a godly being and brought back a new world…”

_A world without Yosuke._

“...And my heart danced with delight to see you succeed.”

_I have failed._

“Well, then, we have finally come to your journey’s true end.”

_It cannot end like this._

“See the world you have won… The bright, magnificent future…”

_I don’t want to see that world!_


	2. Chapter 2

On a train heading to Yasoinaba Station, Yu closed his eyes, exhausted from the long ride. _Not my first time, but it doesn’t get any easier, huh…_

*****

He knew he’d find himself in the Velvet Room once again, with Igor greeting him. What followed “Welcome to the Velvet Room” was the same as Yu’s first visit there, including the fortune telling.

“The coming year is a turning point in your destiny.” Igor’s reminder was closer to home than it had been the last time. “If the mystery goes unsolved, your future may be forever lost.”

_If the final mystery goes unsolved, Igor, my dream will be forever lost._

*****

“Hi! Welcome to Moel!”

_You…_

“There’s so little to do, I’m sure you’ll get bored fast. You’ll either be hanging out with your friends or doing part-time jobs.”

_You killed one of my friends._

“Give it some thought, why don’t you? We don’t mind if you’re a student.” The gas station attendant stretched an arm out, silently urging Yu to shake hands.

 _Whether I like it or not, I have to do it._ Yu nodded and shook the hand offered to him.

*****

Falling asleep that night, Yu saw the fog-covered path again. _I had no idea what this place was then._

“Do you seek the truth…?”

_...nor did I know who was speaking to me at that time._

“If it’s the truth you desire, come and find me.”

_I will find you._

“But… You will not catch me easily.”

_I will catch you, and I will…_

*****

Now that a new day had begun, Yu was afraid of what he would -- and would not -- find. The anxiety grew stronger as he approached an intersection near the school gates. Yu looked around, despite the rain, for a student clumsily riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella. The grey-haired boy stood there, waiting for that student, until the gates started closing.

*****

Mr. Morooka was livid to see a transfer student showing up late on the first day at the new school. “That’s it, you’re on my shit list, effective immediately.”

Yu couldn’t care less about the incessant speech Morooka was making in the faculty office, and he knew he wouldn’t give a damn about the one King Moron would present in the classroom shortly. Yu had stopped caring about a lot of things since he failed to spot Yosuke on the way to school.

*****

“He’s just as much of a loser here as he was there, so you girls better not get any ideas about hitting on him!”

_Mr. Morooka, that part of the speech never had a point to begin with. I don’t care if the most popular girl in this school hits on me._

“You better not even think about getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing them!”

_You care about your students in your own ways. But you really don’t know them, do you?_

From where he was standing, Yu could see Chie and Yukiko on the very seats he remembered belonged to the duo. He could see the empty seat next to Chie’s as well. However, he didn’t like what he saw behind the empty one.

He hated what he didn’t see there.

“Excuse me! Is it okay if the transfer student sits here?”

*****

“Attention, all students. There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone. Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds…”

_It’s begun. Ms. Yamano’s body has been discovered._

The guesses and rumors students were whispering at one another meant to nothing to Yu, who had gone through and solved the entire murder case before. The knowledge alone wouldn’t enable him to accomplish anything for the second time, so he had to spend the year wisely. But how was he going to get started without the key enabler?

Yu felt suffocated at the question, just as he saw noticed Chie showing off her DVD of _Trial of the Dragon_ to Yukiko.

*****

“Ah, so you came here because of your parents’ job. Haha, I thought it was something way more serious.”

Yu found nothing different in this Chie than the one he remembered, but it hurt him to face the fact that she was standing in front of him while Yosuke wasn’t.

“It’s not true that I’m popular or that I’ve never had a boyfriend! Wait, n-no! What I meant to say was, I-I don’t need a boyfriend!”

_Well, it took me a while to learn what these two were capable of…_

*****

“So, that high schooler left school early, and as she came down this street…”

“Wow. Who could imagine THAT hanging from an antenna?”

“Well, I think it’s terrifying. I can’t believe a dead body showed up around here…”

_Everything about Inaba has been the same as I remember, except…_

“Hey, what’re you doing here?” Dojima asked as he approached the three teens.

“We’re just passing by.”

_Uncle is on the lookout for everyone’s safety, as always._

“Ngh… Uuuurrghhh…”

“Adachi! How long are you going to act like a rookie?”

_Adachi-san already has something to hide._

This first day at Yasogami High School had been the same as the previous first day, except for the absence of a boy who had fallen off his bike on the way to school, and had attempted to return a cracked DVD to Chie.


	3. Chapter 3

Yu wished he could look forward to going to school, as he stood on the road staring at the trash can no one was crashing into.

_"I'm Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to meet ya."_

The introduction that initially established their friendship was no more, with a certain brunette on a bicycle missing. Yu stood still, recalling the first conversation he'd had with Yosuke, until he remembered Yosuke shouting, "Oh crap, we're late!"

*****

Despite some odd teachers and several impolite students, Yu had always liked Yasogami High School. However, he found the school far less likable without his favorite schoolmate in it. Chie and Yukiko were still his classmates, and he had heard Kanji shouting at someone in the shopping district. Yu knew he was by no means alone in this Inaba, and wanted to be strong for everyone he cared for.

Yu headed to Junes after school by himself, and bought himself a snack at the food court. He spotted the table where he had sat with Yosuke and Chie when they got together for the first time. Glad to find the table empty, Yu took a seat there.

_"Here, this is to welcome you to town."_

_I don't feel so welcomed now…_ Yu sighed into the cup he was holding in lieu of the beverage Yosuke had offered then. _Yosuke was fairly new to the town himself, but he still helped me feel at home._

Then Yu saw Saki Konishi, in a Junes apron, walk into the food court and grab a seat. She looked thinner and more irritated than Yu remembered her to be.

_"What's up, Hana-chan? Boosting the family business by bringing your friends here?"_

Yu had never told Yosuke, but his first impression on Saki soured as soon as she opened her mouth. Naoki later helped him understand her a little better, but the Saki Konishi Yu had seen with his own eyes was bitter and unkind.

_"Hana-chan's a good guy, but he can get nosy sometimes. You gotta tell him right to his face when he starts to annoy you."_

Yu understood Saki had, at that time, tried to push Yosuke onto him so that she could get away from the young admirer. Yu clenched his hands into fists at the thought. _Saki-san, are you any happier now, without Yosuke around? I don't know about you, but I am not._

*****

It was rainy that night.

The rumor of the Midnight Channel had overwhelmed Yu's class before Chie spoke to him for the first time. Although Yu doubted he'd see anything different than the TV pulling his arm in as he had previously experienced, he wanted to make sure in case something else should change in the Yosuke-less Inaba.

Yu looked out the window and watched the raindrops hitting the ground and the trees. He had no idea how he had ended up in this Inaba, nor why he was here. All he knew was that he kept on living in the absence of someone close to his heart, hoping they would be reunited someday.

Immersed in many uncertainties in his current situation, Yu lost track of time and didn't realize that midnight was approaching. He only became aware of the time when he heard statics coming from the TV behind him.

As he turned around to look at the TV, Yu remembered what Chie had said when he had heard of the Midnight Channel for the first time: _"Your soulmate appears if you look into a TV on a rainy night."_

Nevertheless, he had not expected to see _that person_ on the screen. "…Yosuke?" Yu couldn't believe his eyes. The Midnight Channel had always shown someone who had become the focus of the media and consequently got thrown into the TV world. There was no way that Yosuke could have ended up inside the TV in this world, where he did not exist.

"Yosuke, why are you…"

Yu reached out a hand as if to touch Yosuke's face; however, the television pulled the hand in, blurring out what had been on the screen. Although Yu pulled his hand back out with ease, he couldn't help but wish that Yosuke would be back on the TV, even on the nefarious Midnight Channel. 

The screen had gone blank and remained so.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not much, but something simple to say that I still write _and_ intend to continue this fic.

There was no way Yu could sleep that night. He kept staring at the TV, hoping to see Yosuke again, but the screen never came back on once the Midnight Channel went off the air for the night. He knew he would soon go to the TV World and meet Teddie, and he didn’t know how the day would be without Yosuke.

And, of course, the rain didn’t help Yu as he walked to the school in the morning. His mind drifted off to memories of a certain boy who would often forget to bring his own umbrella and force himself under Yu’s on rainy days. Yu would say a thing or two about the importance of preparation, but he would welcome the boy’s company, despite the lack of space under the umbrella.

However, it was Chie who made herself at home under Yu’s umbrella that morning. “I did have my own, but I saw this kung fu movie where they used an umbrella to pull off some sweet moves…”

Yu couldn’t care less about how Chie had broken her umbrella. Besides, he knew what she was going to ask in a moment.

“By the way, did you see it?”

Yu rolled his eyes at Chie, as if he couldn’t understand what she meant.

“You know, the thing we were talking about yesterday. That Midnight Channel…”

Yu still said nothing in response. Chie then shook her head and said, “Never mind. I’ll save it for later. We’re gonna be late for school!”

*****

It wasn’t nice to see that some people felt no shame in gossipping.

“What’s up with the body being hung upside-down?” That’s so freaky!”

“It’s supposed to be, like, mimicking an execution? It’s messed up…”

“My senpai told me it was a third-year named Saki who found the body.”

If Yu could turn his surroundings off, he would. Unfortunately, life was not so simple and he had to deal with whatever it offered him, whether he wanted to or not. He tried to keep a straight face when Chie chimed in.

“Hey, did you hear the rumor? Saki-senpai’s supposedly the one who discovered the body.”

“Saki-san, huh?” Yu said, mostly to avoid offending Chie with his lack of reaction.

“Yeah. I don’t think she came to school today, though…” Chie’s glance shifted to Yukiko, who was on her way out of the classroom. “Huh? Hey, Yukiko, are you helping out at the inn today too?”

Yukiko nodded. “Things are really out of hand right now. I’m sorry.” She hurried out before Chie could say anything.

Just like that, Chie’s attention was back on Yu. “By the way, did you see it last night?”

Yu blinked a few times at her.

“The Midnight Channel, remember? I did, and I seriously saw a girl! But… My soulmate’s a girl? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Even though Yu had seen someone completely different the night before, he couldn’t tell Chie -- or anyone else, for that matter -- about it. “I saw someone with shoulder-length brown hair, in our school uniform.”

This time, Chie rolled her eyes at Yu. “What? That’s what I saw, too! Does that mean… we have the same soulmate?”

 _No_ , he wanted to tell her. _We don’t have the same soulmate. You have yours close by, though you don’t know yet. On the other hand, mine is so far away that I don’t know where he is now._ Instead, he held his tongue and told her how the TV had almost pulled him in when he touched the screen while watching the Midnight Channel. As he had expected, the word **TV** got her to talk about her family wanting to buy a bigger TV.


	5. Chapter 5

To Yu’s relief, “I saw some nice televisions at Junes” was enough to get Chie to come to the mall with him.

She roamed through the electronics department to check out the televisions. “Wow, this is huge! And… Holy crap, it’s expensive! Who buys something like this?”

 _Yosuke would help her out if he were here._ The thought entered Yu’s mind before he realized that he was thinking of Yosuke. Again. He was glad that Chie was too busy complaining about the prices to see Yu gasp and frown.

“...Well, at least, looking’s free.” Chie shrugged and moved onto another side where smaller televisions were displayed.

Yu stood still, looking at the large television Chie had had her eyes on moments before. He took a deep breath and touched the screen with his right hand. The TV pulled not only the hand but also Yu’s right arm in, just like the small one in his bedroom had the night before.

“Hey, what do you think -- WHOA!” This Chie was as surprised as the girl who had accompanied Yu and Yosuke to Junes. She came running to Yu, rubbing her eyes as she said, “You gotta be kidding me… Did you really stick your hand through the screen?”

Yu nodded and pulled his arm out. He looked at the large screen once again, only to stick his in, paying no attention to Chie and her reactions. “There’s empty space inside,” he said to Chie.

“Wh-What do you mean, ‘empty space’!?”

 _It does feel wrong to hear only one person reacting to this phenomenon_ , Yu noted. “It seems very spacious in here.”

“‘Spacious’!? I mean, what’s going on!?”

Yu continued looking around, with his head still inside the TV, though he knew he could see very little in the fog without his glasses. Nevertheless, he took his time, knowing that someone else would walk into the electronics department sooner or later.

“Oh, no, I’ve got a guy half stuck in the TV here! Wh-What should I do!?” Just as Yu had expected, Chie got jumpy and started running around, until she bumped into him.

*****

“Where the heck are we?”

Yu shrugged, feigning ignorance.

“So… Uh… We’re still alive, right?”

“I think so. Are you okay?”

“Yeah…” Chie squinted her eyes to find her bearings. “Is this… a studio? All this fog… or is it smoke… There’s no place like this in Inaba, is there…”

“Let’s look around.”

Chie glared at Yu, as though he had suggested they walk straight into hell. “Huh? B-But… We need to get home and… Wait a minute. Which way did we come in from?”

Yu pointed a finger up in order to remind Chie how they had gotten to the ‘studio.’

“I-I can’t take this anymore! I wanna go home!”

It was then when Yu realized how scared Chie really was. _Damnit_ , Yu cursed himself for having focused only on how he was going to handle the first visit to the TV World without Yosuke. “Let’s calm down,” he said. _I’m sorry, Chie._ “We need to find a way out.”

*****

The fog made it difficult for Yu and Chie to see where they were going. All Yu could do was tell Chie that there was no choice but continue onward. They kept walking, trying to watch every step they took, until they saw a building and entered it. While the fog was lighter inside, they had no appreciation for the visibility when they looked around.

“What’s with this room?” Chie’s voice shook as she took a careful look at the room. “Check out these posters… Their faces are all cut out. Someone must really hate this person.”

 _Misuzu Hiiragi_ , Yu recalled. _Taro Namatame’s wife._ He looked up and gazed at the rope hanging from the ceiling.

“...Let’s go back to where we came from and look somewhere else for an exit,” Chie said to Yu. “I’m not feeling good.”

Yu massaged the back of his neck and stepped out of the building.

*****

Soon after they made it back to the ‘studio,’ something round approached them.

“What is that thing? A monkey? A bear?”

Yu felt somewhat sorry that he was unable to share Chie’s panic. _Not a ‘thing.’ He’s a friend._

“Th-That’s what I wanna know! Who are you guys?”


	6. Chapter 6

Seeing the mysterious figure speak, Chie gasped. “It talked! W-What are you?! Y-You wanna fight!?”

“D-Don’t yell at me like that…”

 _Teddie doesn’t deserve this_ , Yu thought. “Hey… What are you?”

“I’m a bear, can’t you tell? I live here by myself.” The bear cleared his throat and looked at the duo. “If I was you guys, I’d hurry back to the other side. Someone’s been throwing people in here. It’s a big headache.”

 _Far bigger a headache than you think._ Yu shook his head, which the bear noticed.

“I dunno who’s doing it! I just want them to think before they go doing things like that!”

Chie wasn’t happy to hear the bear shout. “What’s your problem? What gives YOU the right to yell at us like that!? What ARE you!? Where are we!? What the heck is going on here!?”

The bear ran, cowering in fear, and stood behind Yu. “I already told you… A-Anyways, you should hurry back.”

Chie clenched her hands into fists and glared at the bear. “You stupid bear! How the heck are we supposed to-”

“Urrrrgh! I’m saying I’ll let you out!” At the moment the bear said ‘out,” a stack of three TVs appeared before them. “Okay, now go, go, get out of here! I’m a busy bear!” The bear pushed Yu and Chie into the televisions, as Chie shrieked.

*****

"Attention, shoppers. Our daily limited-time sale will now begin at the side dish area on the first floor. Why not try the delicious, fresh produce Junes picked for you this morning as your side dish for dinner tonight? All ages are invited to take advantage of this incredible bargain!"

“Huh? Is this…?” Chie blinked her eyes in disbelief. “Looks like we were in there for quite a while…”

Yu stood in silence, staring at the poster on a wall nearby, as if to read the info on it about an upcoming enka performance.

“What’s up now?” Chie asked, curious as to why he was looking at the poster. “Huh? I think I’ve seen this before. Is that Misuzu Hiiragi? She’s been all over the news lately…”

_Thank goodness Hiiragi-san has nothing to do with the murders, though the truth behind them is much more painful than her scandal._

*****

At least, Yu didn’t feel so sluggish as he had after his very first trip to the TV world. Nonetheless, he had forgotten how uncomfortable it was to stay there without the special glasses, so he wasn’t at his best when Dojima welcomed him home.

“Uh… Hmm… Well, I doubt you’d know… But have you heard anything about a student named Saki Konishi?”

 _I didn’t have to hear anything._ Yu said nothing out loud, opting to simply shake his head.

“Oh, I see… To be honest, we got a call from her family. She’s disappeared. We’ve got people looking for her, but she hasn’t been found yet…”

 _It’s already too late for Saki-san._

The TV was on, and a news reporter was mentioning the murder of Mayumi Yamano. “...but the police investigation has found that she had been staying in the region’s famous Amagi Inn.”

_Yukiko’s home._

“Oh yes, the Amagi Inn! The hot springs are first-rate. The manager’s teenage daughter also works there, and it’s rumored that she’ll take over the inn this spring.”

 _Stop saying so much crap about people._ Now that Yu knew more about what was going on, he couldn’t help but find the media annoying.

“The rain has begun to subside. From now until morning, heavy fog warnings will be in effects in the Inaba region. Visibility will be severely reduced…”

 _The fog will be lifted in the TV world, and that means…_ Yu felt his chest tighten at the realization, as he recalled whose Shadow he had met previously on April 15th.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have been dreading, the whole time, about writing about April 15. I got to the point where I could no longer avoid it.

Yu came downstairs for breakfast then found Dojima twisting the doorknob. "Ah, you're up. Well, I'm off." The detective kept a poker face, but there was something off about him that had Nanako worried.

"Dad has to go do something. He got a call, so he left."

Yu knew exactly what Dojima had been notified of, but he couldn't tell his cousin – his sister – about it. He just gave her a nod and they got ready for school after finishing their breakfast.

*****

Chie wasn't pleased. "I wonder why they're holding a school assembly all of a sudden." She looked around searching for Yukiko, who, at the moment, wasn't standing on her usual spot, next to Chie.

 _And I wonder where Yosuke is._ Rather than complaining about what he already knew, Yu chose to be lost in thoughts of what he didn't know. It was always easy for Yu to lose track of time when focusing his mind on Yosuke, so he was taken aback when Ms. Sofue spoke to the student body.

"Everyone, please settle down. The school assembly is about to begin First, the principal has something to say."

_Yosuke… I wish I could be there for you when you receive this terrible news, even if I couldn't wipe the tears away with my own hands._

_How are you going to handle this on your own, Yosuke? How can you be so cruel to yourself?_

There was no sign of Yosuke anywhere in the assembly hall as the principal began his speech. "I… regret to say that I have a terrible announcement for all of you."

_Don't tell me you're in the same place as she is now, because…_

"One of our third-year students, Ms. Saki Konishi of Class 3, has passed away."

_…she is dead._

"Ms. Konishi was found deceased early this morning. The reasons behind her passing are currently under investigation by the police."

_I need you, Yosuke._

"If they ask you for their cooperation, I urge you, as students of this school, to provide only the facts."

_And I need you to help me._

"I have been assured by the faculty that there's been no evidence that bullying was involved in the incident."

_How am I going to go on without you?_

It was Chie's voice that brought Yu back into the reality. "Found dead? How could this happen?"

*****

The campus was so full of gossips that no one could walk anywhere without hearing them that day. Yu and Chie heard quite a few themselves on the way back to the classroom after the assembly.

"She died the same way as the announcer, right? That's so creepy."

"Well, last time, it was from an antenna, but this time she was hanging from a telephone pole. It's gotta be a serial murder case."

"By the way, did you hear? Someone saw a girl that looked like Saki on that Midnight Channel thingie. They said she totally looked like she was in pain. Isn't that scary?"

"Haha, the media's been broadcasting their interviews with her nonstop, so maybe they just had Saki on the brain."

Yu kept his mouth shut, but Chie refused to hold her tongue once they made it back to the classroom. "Sheesh, it's easy to toss around theories if you're not personally involved."

Yu nodded. "You're right, but…"

"But?"

"Something's bothering me."

Chie shook her head in disbelief. "Not you too!"

"Just listen for a second. Something kept bothering me, so I watched the Midnight Channel again. I think… I think the girl on the screen was Saki-san." _I know it really was her._

"What the hell," Chie spat out. "You never met her."

"I did," Yu pointed out, "when we went to Junes for food, on the rooftop."

"How do you even…"

"Ms. Yamano also might have been on the Midnight Channel before she died." _She was, though I can't tell you._

Shaking her head again, Chie asked, "Are you saying that people who appear on that TV… die?"

"And there is the thing Teddie said, about how the place was dangerous… And that someone has been throwing people in there." 

_Yosuke, everything is already so difficult without you._

"Don't tell me…"

"The world in the TV could have something to do with Saki-san's death, and I'm thinking about going in again." _Even though we are short on manpower this time._

"No, you should just let the police handle this, and–"

"Even if we told them about the world inside the TV, they would never believe us," Yu reminded Chie. "I need to know what has been going on."

Yu recalled what Yosuke had said while trying to convince Chie last time. _"After what I've seen and what I've put together, there's no way I can ignore it now."_ Little had Yu known, at that time, how much Yosuke's determination would affect him and change his life.

_I will do whatever I can, Yosuke, to search for the truth.. and **you**._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Holy crap](https://namelessmoogleao3.tumblr.com/post/179996286775/1000-kudos).


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did this little fic get 90 kudos? I beg the readers to [enlighten me](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1). Or just talk to me. I'll be thrilled to hear from you.

In spite of his resolve, Yu couldn’t head off to Junes at once, as there was something he needed but didn’t have on his person at the moment. _There’s no way I can face **him** unprepared._ He stopped by the Dojima residence, went to his room, took something out of the drawer he kept locked, and walked back out, towards the mall.

Chie had arrived at the electronics department first, waiting for Yu with her arms crossed. “C’mon, you really shouldn’t do this. It’s too dangerous.”

The words _Try and stop me_ almost flew out of Yu’s mouth, but he held back, knowing how little the Chie standing there knew of the situation. “We were able to come back once,” he reminded her. “We should be able to do it again.”

“That’s not good enough!”

“I know, but could you just walk away?”

Chie flinched at the question, unable to retaliate.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going in without a plan.”

*****

Yu had no doubt that the ‘lifeline’ would fail this time too, but the poor strategy still got Chie to let him enter the TV, and that was good enough for him. He would worry about her fury later.

“Y-You… Why’d you come back?”

_Teddie…_

“I-I get it! You’re the one behind this!”

_You really don’t remember anything._

“Lately, I can tell someone’s been throwing people in here. It’s making this world more and more messed up.”

_You’re right._

“This is the second time you came here. And I don’t think anyone forced you in. That means you’re the most suspicious!”

_The culprit is a lot smarter than he lets on._

“You must be the one throwing the people in here, raaaawr!”

“Don’t label me like that,” Yu pleaded. “But what did you mean when you said ‘throwing people in’?”

The bear went uncharacteristically silent, standing still.

“Do you mean the two people who recently…”

Before Yu could make any further attempt to get a conversation going, the bear shook his head. “Why’d you come here, anyway? It’s a one-way door! You can’t get out once you’re in!”

_I had to, Teddie. I had to._

“Remember? How I had to let you out?”

 _Yes, and a lot more._ “Yes, but I need to investigate-”

“Grrrr! I’m the one who wants to investigate! I’ve lived here for a long time. But it’s never been no noisy like this till now.”

_The murder case has changed all our lives._

“Do you have proof? Prove to me you’re not throwing people in here!”

“It doesn’t work that way.”

“See! So it is you!”

 _This is not going anywhere_ , Yu realized. _What did Yosuke say back then?_ “I have nothing to prove to you. And I came back here for a reason.” _Many reasons._ “People have died in my world. Every time the fog appears, a dead body shows up with it.”

As Yu had expected, the words **fog** and **dead body** piqued the bear’s interest. “A dead body? Whenever the fog appears?” The frown on Teddie’s face deepened. “I know that if it’s foggy on your side, the fog lifts here.”

*****

Yu had long forgotten how ridiculously difficult it was for most people to understand why he had to check the TV World out. _How did you do it, Yosuke? You knew absolutely nothing then, yet…_ “I’ve about had it with you,” Yu sighed. “Bear.”

Teddie scratched himself. “I-I’m just saying… I’m just making sure…”

“Tell me about this world.”

“Huh?” Teddie rolled his eyes at Yu, but tried to say something nonetheless. “I just live here. Only me and the Shadows are here.” Silence fell between them for a moment, before Teddie sighed and added, “I just want to live here peacefully…”

“I want a peaceful life too,” Yu admitted. “I think we can help each other in this endeavor.”

“...Okay,” Teddie nodded. “I’ll believe that you’re not the culprit. But I want you to find the real guy who did all this.”

“Very well.”

*****

“It seems that you will encounter a misfortune at your destination, and a great mystery will be imposed upon you…”

_You don’t know how wrong you are, Igor. I encountered a misfortune and a great mystery when I lost Yosuke. What is ahead of me here is nothing to me in comparison._

*****

“I am Yu Narukami. What is your name?”

“...Teddie.”

“Nice to meet you, Teddie.” Yu bowed to the bear, who gasped and returned the bow. “Let’s get the investigation started, then.”

“I dunno…” Teddie hesitated, but it didn’t take him long to figure something out. “Oh, but I know where the last person came in.”

_Saki-san._

“I’ll take you there. You might find clues.” Teddie then pulled something out of his fur and handed it to Yu. “One thing first. You should put these on.”

Once again, the bear had come through and prepared the glasses, some of the most valuable tools at the Investigation Team’s disposal. However, instead of the one grey pair Yu had expected to see, Teddie gave away two pairs of glasses -- one in a grey frame, and the other in orange. Yu felt his heart pound at the sight of something that screamed Yosuke’s name.

“Um, Teddie… Are they both for me?”

“Sure. Thought you might need a spare.”


	9. Chapter 9

Yu grabbed the orange-framed glasses and put them on.

“They’ll help you walk through the fog.” Teddie then stared at Yu and asked, “Are you sure you want that pair?”

“Absolutely.”

The bear kept his gaze on Yu -- and the glasses -- for another second or two, but said nothing more about the decision. “...Well, I’ve been here for a long time. So you can rely on me.”

*****

The TV World version of the shopping district was as creepy as Yu remembered it to be.

“Some weird places have appeared here recently,” Teddie said, walking several steps behind. “Things are getting so tangled, I dunno what to do…”

_I wish I knew what to do._ “Teddie, do you have any idea why this place showed up?”

“How should I know? This is reality for the one who’s here.”

Yu nodded and continued walking, towards the liquor store the Konishis ran. _I still need to get to the bottom of the murder case even if he’s not here with me right now._

As the two of them approached the store, Teddie stopped dead on his feet. “W-Wait a second. Th-They’re here!”

“Hm?”

“...Shadows. I had a feeling they were going to attack…!”

Yu carefully reached for the weapon he’d brought on the way to Junes.

”I am thou… Thou art I…”

_”Welcome back, my friend.”_

Izanagi stood tall before Yu once again.

*****

“Gosh almighty! You’re amazing, Sensei! I am one impressed bear!” Teddie gushed after Yu took out the Shadows. “I can’t believe you were hiding such an amazing power! No wonder the Shadows were scared of you!”

Yu glanced at the weapon in his hands, saying nothing, then walked closer to the liquor store. 

There, strange voices greeted the teen and the bear.

“I wish Junes would go under.”

“I heard that Konishi-san’s daughter is working there.”

“Oh my… How could she, with her family’s business suffering it is?”

“I heard their sales have gone downhill because of Junes.”

_Yosuke… I didn’t quite understand how much these words hurt you then._

“That poor father… to have his own daughter working for the enemy.”

“What a troublesome child.”

_You genuinely cared for Saki-san, but…_

“Saki, aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You’re the eldest daughter of a family who’s owned this store for generations!”

_She never told you what she was going through._

“Is it money? Or did you meet some guy there? Just tell me why you have to work THERE, of all places!”

_But you didn’t get to tell her how you really felt._

Yu went further in, with Teddie trailing him. Soon, he came across the table where there was a photo of Saki in a Junes work apron, standing with other people in the same getup. Although the picture showed Saki smiling at the camera, there was no trace of a boy with his hair dyed brown.


	10. Chapter 10

“I… never had a chance to say it.”

Yu recalled that the Saki he had heard before -- with Yosuke -- went on to badmouth ‘Hana-chan’ afterwards.

“Who cares about Junes, anyway? Because of that store, our business is ruined, my parents hate me, the neighbors talk behind my back…”

But this Saki Konishi said nothing about the store manager’s son who was just a pain in the ass to her.

“I wish everything would just disappear.”

 _Is it…?_ “Who’s there?”

There was no response.

“S-Sensei, over there!”

Yu’s glance shifted to what Teddie was pointing at.

“This can’t be… Senpai’s not like that!”

While the voice was familiar, it was not the same person uttering those words.

“It’s… so sad… I feel so sorry for myself…”

“Who… Who’s that, Sensei?”

Yu could recognize the mop of brown hair and the golden yellow eyes anywhere. “You!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's rather rude of me to write so little _and_ end the part right there. I didn't mean to post this segment, having written so little of it. 
> 
> However, even though I posted on Twitter a while ago that I had decided to put _Irreplaceable_ on hiatus due to the lack of feedback, it seems that very few people have seen the tweet, and several people have since left kudos and subscribed. I don't want to leave the readers in the dark just because they choose not to check on social media, so I'm placing a note here to announce, once again, that _Irreplaceable_ is indeed on hiatus.
> 
> Real life is definitely a factor, but the lack of response, and, consequently, motivation is the biggest issue I'm facing when it comes to this fic. I fully intend to continue and finish it someday, but right now, I'm not even sure whether or not I'll continue _posting_ it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What the hell are you doing here?”
> 
> “Being myself,” the Shadow smirked. “Because I **am** him!”

“I… never had a chance to say it.”

Yu recalled that the Saki he had heard before -- with Yosuke -- went on to badmouth ‘Hana-chan’ afterwards.

“Who cares about Junes, anyway? Because of that store, our business is ruined, my parents hate me, the neighbors talk behind my back…”

But this Saki Konishi said nothing about the store manager’s son who was just a pain in the ass to her.

“I wish everything would just disappear.”

Yu and Teddie heard someone sniff as soon as Saki’s voice made the wish.

_Is it…?_ “Who’s there?” Yu shouted, but there was no response.

“S-Sensei, over there!”

Yu’s glance shifted to what Teddie was pointing at.

“This can’t be… Senpai’s not like that!”

While the voice was familiar, it was not the same person uttering those words.

“It’s… so sad… I feel so sorry for myself…”

Teddie’s eyes grew even larger when the bear heard the strange voice. “Who… Who’s that, Sensei?”

Yu could recognize the mop of brown hair and the golden yellow eyes anywhere. “You!”

“He put on a good show of of being carefree and happy-go-lucky ‘cause he’s so terrified of being alone.” The eyes glowed as the brunette approached Yu. “Yeah, it’s me… **Partner**.”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Being myself,” the Shadow smirked. “Because I **am** him!”

Yu reached for the weapon he kept concealed under the jacket. “Where is he?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know -- I do know everything he’s thinking, after all!” The Shadow’s laughter filled the room while Yu clenched his other hand into a tight fist. “Yu Narukami, you’re just trying to act like a big shot like he was before.” The golden eyes looked into Yu’s grey ones, as if to read his mind. “If all went well, hey, maybe you could even save him and be a hero!”

Gritting his teeth, Yu nodded. “That’s true. I would be the greatest hero I know if I knew how to save him.”

“Yeah, right. How are you gonna do it when… I am **he** now?” The Shadow cackled and transformed into a large frog demon before Yu’s eyes.

“Be careful, Sensei! This one’s much stronger than the last type!”

“Don’t worry, Teddie. I know.” Yu assured the bear as he pulled a pair of kunai out to prepare for the battle against the only one he had met in this world who also knew Yosuke.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I'm not resuming _Irreplaceable_ yet. There were some bits I didn't get to post when I put this fic on hiatus, and I wanted to get them out of my system.

**Author's Note:**

> [Scream at me about my little fics](https://twitter.com/namelessmoogle1).


End file.
